From Out of Darkness
by Elizabeth Bathory
Summary: Maeve cares for Sinbad in his time of need and each reveals what is in their heart.


From Out of Darkness 

            **DISCLAIMER**:  _The Adventures of Sinbad belongs to Atlantis Television and American Films.  By no way is this work being used for profit, it is purely for enjoyment purposes._

            It was a seemingly quiet day on the open seas.  Maeve sat on the deck of the Nomad studying her spells in the peaceful sunshine.  Doubar seemed relaxed as he tended the tiller and Firouz and Rongar were quietly tinkering away at one of Firouz's new inventions.

            "Maeve, have you seen Sinbad at all today?  It's not like him to not be out enjoying this glorious day." Doubar said.

            "Not since last night at dinner.  He said he was exhausted from the past week because of everything he was doing.  He's probably asleep."

            "Still, this is unusual for my little brother."

            "I'll go down to check on him.  Will that make you feel better?"  Doubar nodded in agreement as Maeve closed her book and headed below deck.

            She made her way through the corridors to the sleeping chambers where she found Sinbad's door shut.  Nothing out of the ordinary, he usually had it shut when he was asleep.  Maeve knocked gently as to not startle him if he was sleeping.

            "Sinbad?" she called out.  She was not greeted with an answer though, only heavy coughs coming from behind the door.  Maeve was instantly concerned.  She cared very deeply for Sinbad and worried about him immensely.  As she heard another coughing spell come from behind the closed door, she knew she needed to help him.  Maeve reached down to try the door, hoping that he hadn't locked it.  She turned the knob and was relieved that he had left it open.

            Maeve walked quietly into Sinbad's room.  She knew how he reacted sometimes if he didn't want to be disturbed.  She found Sinbad curled up in his bed with one arm over his face to block out the sunlight that was pouring in through the window.  Maeve quickly went over to the window to close the curtains and block out the light for him.  Sinbad quietly murmured a 'thank you.'  When he started coughing again, she rushed over to his bedside.

            "What's wrong?  Are you okay?" she asked frantically.

            "Feel terrible…just want to sleep…" he murmured.

            Maeve put her hand gently against his face to comfort him.  When she touched him, she felt that he was burning with a fever.

            "You're sick," she told Sinbad, who was drifting back off again.  "I'll get Firouz to make something for you."

            "No.  I just need sleep.  I don't want to see anyone right now, except you.  I really don't want to be a victim of a Firouz experiment if it goes wrong." Sinbad said tiredly.

            "Are you sure?"  Sinbad nodded slightly.  "Fine, but I'm really not leaving you alone.  After I tell everyone up top, I will be back down here."

            Sinbad gave a small gesture to let her know that he heard her.  Maeve pulled his blankets up around him before she went back out.

            "So, what's going on lass?  Where is he?" Doubar asked when he saw Maeve coming up from below.

            "He's sick.  Right now, he's sleeping and he doesn't want to see anyone.  Since he was run ragged the last few days on almost no rest, he got sick from it.  So everyone has to be quiet when you are below deck.  I'm going back down to take care of Sinbad.  Doubar, pass this along to everyone, please." Maeve told him.

            "If my little brother is sick, I should be with him.  I've taken care of him since he was a baby."

            "No, Doubar.  He specifically said he only wanted to see me.  You run the ship for now." Maeve said as her final word before she ducked below again.

            She returned quickly to Sinbad's room when she went below.  She was relieved that he was at least sleeping peacefully but it pained her to hear the labored breathing coming from him.  She sat there for hours watching him.  She wanted to be there for the man she loved if he needed anything.  

            Sometime around dinnertime, Maeve heard everyone chatting in the dining area.  They were letting off steam, which she quite understood, but they were being exceptionally loud.  The loud commotion startled Sinbad awake.  He popped awake and sat up slightly in bed, trying to find where the noise was coming from.  

"It's all right.  Go back to sleep.  I'll go tell them to keep it down." Maeve said as she stroked Sinbad's hair and relaxed him back into the pillows.  Once she was sure that he was attempting sleep again, she went out into the dining area, flaming mad.

"Keep it down out here.  The noise is being carried all over the ship and you woke him up."

"We were trying to be quiet." Firouz said innocently.

"Well, you failed miserably.  Don't make me come out here again though." Maeve warned as she turned back to Sinbad's room.  Before she returned, she grabbed a basin and a cloth and a pitcher of water, and shot the remaining crew an evil look as a warning if they disobeyed her.

She returned to Sinbad's bedside to find him asleep again.  She felt his forehead again and it was still unreasonably warm.  She poured some water from the pitcher and soaked the cloth in it and placed it gently on his forehead, hoping that it would help a bit.

A few hours later, Maeve herself was starting to get tired.  She was pretty sure that the rest of the ship was asleep already since she hadn't heard anyone in a while.  She didn't want to go back to her room though and leave Sinbad.  She decided to climb into bed next to her sleeping love.  It wouldn't be the first time that they had shared a bed and if he said anything, she could easily explain her reasons.  Maeve pulled the blankets up around the both of them and began to drift into sleep as well.

Just after she had begun to fall asleep, she was disturbed by the sound of soft sniffles.  Maeve looked over to Sinbad to check on him.  In the faint candlelight, she saw tears streaming down him face.  He was having a nightmare and he was crying in his sleep.  She placed her hand gently on his shoulder to rouse him as she whispered his name.  Sinbad responded to the delicateness of her touch and came around.  His exhausted body fell into her embrace and he continued to sob.  Maeve whispered to him soothingly as she rocked him in her arms.  Sinbad's tears eventually subsided into a few sniffles as he fell asleep again, this time in the arms of the woman he loved.  After this, Maeve was glad that she had decided to stay with him.

The next morning, Maeve awoke to the soft snoring of the sleeping form in her arms.  She smiled down at Sinbad as he slept peacefully before she had to get up.  He stirred slightly but then buried himself under the blankets up to his ears.  This was a good time for her to get something to eat and her spell book since she knew he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.  Maeve placed a soft kiss on his forehead and walked out, quietly closing the door behind her.

She walked up onto the deck for a little while to get some fresh air after being cooped up all night.

"How's he doing?" Doubar asked when he saw her emerge.

"No change.  I'm going to try to give him a bath today to try to get the fever to break.  But I don't want to wake him just yet."

"Remember cool water will help, not hot." Firouz piped up.

"I know Firouz.  I've had to do this before." Maeve said before she ducked below again.

After she had eaten and retrieved her book, she returned to Sinbad's room.  When she checked on him, she noticed that he was slightly awake.

"Good morning." She said quietly to him.  Sinbad didn't respond but he did look up at her.

Maeve felt his head again and was still worried that this fever was still raging.

"I need to bring this fever down and quickly." She told him.

"Bath?" Sinbad whispered.  Maeve nodded as she helped him up.  

Sinbad had the luxury of having a bath in his room since he was the captain.  Maeve filled the tub with cool water and then helped Sinbad to get undressed and into the tub.  He reclined against the wall of the tub as Maeve gently washed him.  As he laid there, Maeve couldn't help but think that the invincible Sinbad was now as vulnerable as a child.  When she had finished, Maeve helped Sinbad out of the water, dried him off, and tucked him back into bed.  She hadn't bothered to dress him because she knew he liked to sleep with as little as possible on.  Sinbad laid there for a little while watching Maeve study her spells before he drifted off again.

After a few hours, Maeve needed to get up and walk around again.  Sitting in that chair in Sinbad's room for so long was making her stiff.  She could tell that Sinbad was only barely asleep.  She walked over to him and whispered in his ear, "I'll be back in a little while.  I just need to walk around a bit."  

"Go ahead.  I know you must be bored.  I'll be okay." Sinbad responded.

Maeve was happy that he responded in such a manner.  The bath must have helped because that was the most he's said in two days.  She kissed him softly on the cheek before she went out again.

She went topside to stretch her legs out.  Maeve walked around the deck, absorbing the sun's warmth into her skin. She needed these few moments to center herself again.

She went back down again to care for Sinbad.  She opened the door to his room and was instantly scared by what she found.  Sinbad was lying on the floor next to the chamber pot.  She rushed over to him and picked him up off the floor and cradled him in her lap.  His face was all flushed even though his skin was freezing.  He didn't have to tell her what happened, she knew.  Maeve eased him off the cold floor back into bed and covered his frail body with the blankets quickly.  Once she knew he was secure, she went empty out the foul odor that filled the room.

Doubar did not expect to see her up on deck again so soon.  "What happened?" he asked frantically.

"He just got sick to his stomach.  After he threw up, he didn't even have the strength to get back in bed.  I was only gone a few minutes, and I come back to him sprawled out on the floor."

Doubar was instantly worried.  "Is he okay?"

Maeve nodded.  "I got him back into bed and he's resting now.  I beg you to keep it quiet when you're around his room right now.  He needs to sleep."

"We will." 

Maeve went back down again.  She was surprised that Sinbad wasn't asleep when she came back in.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered.

"It's okay.  You have nothing to be sorry about."

"But…" Sinbad started

"It's nothing.  Now, no talking.  Go back to sleep." Maeve said calmly, trying to relax him.

Sinbad complied and closed his eyes.  Maeve sat down next to him on the bed and rubbed his back in small circles to relax him.  She remembered he said he liked this.  Within moments, his breathing had evened out and he was asleep.  Maeve knew she wouldn't leave him for even a moment now.

The next morning, Sinbad awoke feeling better.  He opened his eyes and saw Maeve still asleep next to him.  

"Maeve?" he said softly to wake her gently.

She awoke startled.  Maeve heard his voice and she thought he needed her.  "What's wrong?" she said worriedly.

"Nothing's wrong." Sinbad responded, smiling at her.

"Feeling better, my love?" Maeve asked cheerfully as she felt his forehead.

Sinbad nodded in agreement.  "Still tired but better.  I'm also little bit hungry…"

Maeve was overjoyed to hear this.  "You just stay in bed.  I'll get you something to eat.  Okay?"

Sinbad nodded again as Maeve left the room and fell back into the pillows again.

The rest of the crew was still in the dining area, finishing their own breakfast when Maeve walked in.

"He's still tired but his fever broke and he's feeling better now." Maeve said when she saw the curious looks on their faces.

"When will he be up and around?" Doubar asked, overjoyed at the news.

"Give him a few days, Doubar.  He's still very weak.  But this will help." Maeve said as she put some food onto a plate for Sinbad, nothing too harsh so he wouldn't get an upset stomach again.

"Is he letting us see him now?" Firouz asked.

"I'll ask him if he wouldn't mind visitors now.  Now, if you'll excuse me.  I have to get this back to Sinbad." Maeve said as she turned out of the room.

Nearly a week had passed since Sinbad had first gotten sick when he returned to his duties as captain.  As he stood on the bough of the Nomad, he realized that he and Maeve had gotten even closer than they already were.  She had taken care of him in his most fragile time without hesitation.  He went up to her and gave her a passionate kiss, which surprised her.

"What was that for?" she asked him.

"Because I love you."


End file.
